


A Second Chance at Happiness

by lanibb2013



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Finch with amnesia, Finch wounded, M/M, Reese emotional, Some Cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-09
Updated: 2013-03-09
Packaged: 2017-12-04 17:31:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/713253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lanibb2013/pseuds/lanibb2013
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a case is wrapped up Finch is in the wrong place at the wrong time. To make matters worse Finch can't remember who John Reese is and Reese has to take care of a stranger. This unexpected turn causes both people to realize something they really had known all along but wouldn't admit it to each other until their guard was down.</p><p>Disclaimer: I don't own Person of Interest or any of the trademarks for it. That all belongs to their rightful owners. The story is mine though lol :P</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Second Chance at Happiness

**Author's Note:**

> Note: This is my second POI story so still learning how to write the characters but I had this crazy idea for what if Reese had met a previous version of Harold that was a bit more trusting and open. Rabid plot bunny look out. This silly thing I'm finding does not copy and paste anything right. In word it is indented and every paragraph has a space between it. Here....Not so much. And I just changed it and it saved it the same way without the breaks argh. Think I figured it out finally!
> 
> Also yes I love Harold with a round tummy. :) I saw a few pictures where his tummy looked rounder and used my imagination from there. I appologize if some don't like that idea.
> 
> Thanks for reading. :)

John was standing behind a wall hiding as Carter and Fusco took the bad guys off to be arrested. He heard an uneven gait and felt a brush on his arm before he turned to see Finch standing right next to him. He warned, “What are you doing here, Finch?”

Finch looked at the taller man with his wide eyed look and replied, “Getting some fresh air?”

Reese said, “Halfway across town?” He watched the older man blink repeatedly and sighed. He really wishes sometimes that his boss would stay out of harm’s way. He heard a gunshot go off and felt the smaller man fall against him and grab at his arm. He turned around quickly and shot the guy with the gun he couldn’t believe he missed. He took off his coat and threw it on the dirty ground before he held Finch down. He saw blood welling up quickly. He quickly undid all of the older man’s layers until he saw the wound. It was in the older man’s left abdomen but if they were lucky it might not of hit anything vital. He took off his clothes until he pulled off his tee-shirt and pressed it to the wound to try and stop the bleeding. He absently threw his dress shirt and jacket back on without buttoning them. The older man was clawing at him and crying. He said, “I know it hurts, Harold. I have to try and stop the bleeding. If I can’t you’ll bleed out and die. I can’t lose you. You’re the only thing in my life that I care about anymore. Stay with me dammit.”

Harold didn’t expect the sudden pain that hit him and he lost his balance and fell on Reese grabbing him to try and stay up. The pain in his abdomen really hurt though. He vaguely registered Reese turning around, shooting the guy behind them, sliding him to the ground (on the taller man’s coat?), and ripping at his clothes before the searing hot pain got worse when the younger man was pressing hard against it. He tried to get him to stop but Reese wouldn’t. He could see the younger man was talking to him but he was in so much pain he could understand his friend anymore. He blacked out soon after.

John called Fusco as soon as Finch went out and said, “I need you to get your ass here NOW, Lionel. I need help. Finch has been shot and he’s bleeding out. I need to get him to a hospital.” He heard Fusco say he’d be right there and hung up the phone still trying to get the bleeding to stop. The bastard must have hit an artery or something for the older man to bleed this damn much. ‘Dammit! Finch wasn’t even supposed to be here’. He had not admitted it to anyone but he flirted with the older man because he was in love with his boss. He figured Finch would never be interested in him because of his past but it didn’t change the fact that he loved the stubborn limping recluse. He felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Lionel and an ambulance. He said, “I’m going with him. He is MY responsibility.” Fusco held his hands up and said he’s follow in the car. He got in the back of the ambulance and held the older man’s hand all the way to the hospital ER. They wouldn’t let him go any further so he paced in the waiting room for the doctors. He had given them what little information he could on Harold but it wasn’t much. He finally realized he should at least button his shirt up. After a while he finally sat down, put his head in his hands, and cried for the first time in a very long time.

Fusco finally got to the hospital waiting room and was shocked by what he saw. The bane of his existence was sitting in a chair sobbing over four eyes. That puzzled him because he was pretty sure it wasn’t over the possibility of losing his job. This guy never cried but yet he was cry over a limping recluse…. ‘Oh my god. He’s in love with the old gimp. How did I not see it before with how over protective he is when it comes to four eyes.’ He stood off to the side and waited with Wonder boy for the doctor to come out.  
John finally managed to stop sobbing and sat back in his chair. He met Lionel’s eyes and knew that the cop figured out he was in love with Finch but all the cop did was give him a sympathetic look. He heard the doctor call out Harold’s name and he went over he said, “I’m his brother John.”

The doctor looked at him suspiciously but let it go because the man appparantly had been having a hard time dealing with what had happened if the puffy red eyes and runny nose was any indication. He said, “Your Brother was lucky he got here when he did, Mr. Finch. The bullet nicked an artery and he lost a lot of blood. Luckily nothing else seems to have been damaged and there shouldn’t be much scaring since we only had to do minimal surgery to repair the artery. He should live but he will have to stay in the hospital for a couple of weeks to be monitored until we can release him.”

John sighed, “Thank you doctor. When can I see him?”

The doctor said, “He’s being moved into a room now but I’ll have the nurse let you know when he can be seen.”

John was so relieved that he collapsed on a chair and fell asleep until the nurse came and got him. He opened the do to the room they had his friend in. The older man was hooked up to IV’s, a heart monitor, and a catheter. Harold was very pale looking and the older man looked so different without his suit and glasses. He looked around and found the glasses at least had been returned to his boss. He pulled one of the plastic chairs up to the bed and sat down on it while taking Harold’s hand. He whispered, “I was so worried, Harold. I really thought I was going to lose you. It would kill me if I lost you. My life revolves around you now. I love you even if you are a paranoid secretive recluse.” After a while he fell asleep with his head on the bed next to the hand he held.

Harold had started coming in and out of consciousness but didn’t want to stay there because of the pain he was in at the moment and he couldn’t remember why he was on pain. He heard what sounded like a man’s voice saying they loved him but he didn’t think that could be right. Who could possibly ever love him again? All he was now was an old, crippled, paranoid recluse. It wasn’t Nathan because Nathan was dead. He finally managed to force his eyes open and couldn’t see anything because his glasses were missing. He then noticed his hand was tightly clasped by a calloused long fingered hand. He tried to pull his hand out of the grip but only succeeded in twitching his fingers so he let the darkness take him again. The next time he woke up his hand was free but he felt a head next to his hand on the bed. He felt the silky short hair with his hand and yelled when the person shot awake suddenly.

John had been waiting for Finch to come out of whatever he was in and he shot awake when a hand started touching his hair. He heard the yelp and looked at Harold who was scared but awake. He leaned over the older man so even without glassed his friend could see who he was and said, “God, Finch you had me worried. You’ve been in and out of it for about a week. How are you feeling?”

Finch didn’t recognize this man for some reason. He knew he should but he didn’t. He said, “I hurt like Hell and who the hell are you?” He saw the hurt look on the younger man’s face but didn’t really care all that much at the moment because he didn’t know what had happened. He also wanted to know why this man knew his new identity. He hardly used it and he didn’t remember telling this man it.

John back away from the bed and when the doctor came in and looked at Finch he went out into the hall with him. He said, “He doesn’t remember who I am. Why?”

The doctor said, “He lost a lot of blood and any traumatic experience can cause amnesia. With any luck as time goes on he’ll remember things but you must be patient.”

John went back in the room but kept his distance because he didn’t want to scare his boss anymore than he all ready had. He didn’t want to admit it but the older man not recognizing him hurt worse than if the older man had turned him down for a date. He was still going to stick around and protect Finch because he still loved the man.

Finch kept a wary eye in the tall handsome man by the door. He did have to admit the younger man was good-looking. Once had put his glasses on he saw how stunning this taller man was and wondered why he was there. For the next week or so if he needed to go to the bathroom or anything that man helped him but Harold noticed the other man was careful not to touch him or stay in his personal space for longer than necessary. He did appreciate that but he was still embarrassed because this stranger was seeing all of his scars, his round belly, and anything else. He thought about throwing him out but figured at least this man is the only one who sees him as helpless as a child and doesn’t say one word about it. Finally one day when he was sitting up eating lunch he asked, “Who are you?”

John got up and stood in front of his friend and replied, “My name is John, Harold. I’m a friend of yours and we’ve know each other for 2 years now.”

Harold just looked at him and replied, “I’m sorry, John. I just can’t remember you. Where did we meet?”

John chuckled sadly, “Under a bridge after you posted bail for me to get out of a sticky situation. Then you’ve saved my life a few times and I saved yours as well.”

Harold had flashes but he couldn’t put them together to form a picture yet. He said, “I get released today, John. I don’t really have anywhere to go because I’m kind of in transition of finding a home. You wouldn’t happen to know anywhere I can stay would you?”

John replied, “I guess I could try to find you somewhere unless…you’d like to stay with me. I don’t want you to think I’m up to something because I’m not. I just think it might be easier to stay with someone you are used to for lack of a better word.”

Harold couldn’t deny that no matter what this man’s connection to him was he was used to asking him for help and having him see him helpless. He finally said, “All right, John. I’ll stay with you until I am better but don’t try anything. Got it?”

John replied, “I promise I won’t try anything. If you start something though……that is a whole other ballgame.” He smirked at the lopsided grin on the older man’s face. When Harold was released he had managed to find an extra suit for the older man in the library and a few at Norman Burdett’s house thanks to Carter’s help. He helped his friend into the taxi and slid in next to him before telling the cabbie the address of his loft. He was also hoping that being at a home the older man had bought for him might juggle his memory a bit. He got Harold into the loft and showed the older man to the guest bedroom where he had hung his friend’s suits. He said, “You are welcome to stay with me as long as you want, Harold.”

Harold looked at how much trouble the younger man had gone to in order to make him feel at home and almost cried because no one had ever done at for him before. The suits were all his size and his taste so maybe this man does know him personally. When he limped out into the living area he was handed a cup of Sencha tea with one sugar. He was starting to believe they must be friends because how else would this man know so much about his personal quirks other than stalking him. He shivered for a minutes before he shook it off. He doubted the man would go through that much trouble to be nice to him if they weren’t friends.

John took care of Harold for about 6 months and little by little the recluse was coming out of his shell to him. He kind of liked this Finch except that this one didn’t remember him. On night he was sitting on the sofa watching TV when Harold limped out into the living area in only his pants, shirt and waistcoat and heavily plopped down next to him. He thought Harold looked kind of sexy half dressed. He didn’t go out of his way to hide his interest but he tried not to broadcast it either so not to scare the man too much.

Harold still had only remembered bits and pieces of his life after Nathan but he had decided that John had been of part of it even if he couldn’t remember why. He had slowly fallen in love with the younger man and decided it was time to ask his friend about the comment at the hospital. He half fell and half sat next to John on the sofa and asked, “What did you mean by ‘I love you’ in the hospital, John?”

John looked down at his hands in his lap and stammered, “I didn’t realize you had actually heard that.”

Harold turned his whole upper body to look at his friend and asked, “Did you mean it, John?” He watched the younger man waiting for an answer thinking he was going to have to ask again.

John firmly replied, “Yes. I meant it. I’m in love with you. Have been for about 2 years.”

Harold sighed and asked, “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

John sighed, “We have a complicated friendship and relationship, Harold. Besides I didn’t think you’d ever consider me for a lover. I’m not really long-term material based on my track record. I never expected you to almost die on me like you did and then not even remember me. I just figured it was best if I didn’t say anything.”

Harold sighed, “Well, John. I don’t know what the old me you were friends with would have done but this me would consider it. I do wonder though what you see in me. I’m just an old, fat, crippled billionaire computer geek that’s afraid of his own shadow.”

John replied, “You don’t remember but you have done so much for me since I met you. You have saved my ass 3 times, given me a reason to live, a place to live, belongings, food, and so much more.”

Harold gasped, “I gave you this loft? And the clothes you wear?” He started to laugh because even though he doesn’t remember doing it he knows what it meant.

John pouted, “What’s so funny?”

Harold was laughing but replied, “You are thick. The Harold you knew was in love with you. Courting you actually. You see when I love someone I buy them expensive gifts and take care of them. Essentially I spoil the hell out of them. I would imagine I haven’t changed in that respect.”

John gasped, “Oh.” Then he thought about this Harold and realized this one was buying him gifts and spoiling him as well. He gasped, “Are you telling me you are in love with me now?”

Harold gave John that lopsided grin and replied, “Yeah, John. I guess I am telling you I’m in love with you. Have been for a while and probably a lot longer than I can remember actually. I have felt drawn to you since the day I met you in the hospital but just wasn’t sure why until now. As you know I’m….not much to look at out of my clothes but if you still want me than you can have me.” He gently and hesitantly reached a hand out and placed it on John’s thigh. He soon felt long calloused fingers placed on top of his own. He got up and went to get a but he soon had a long mean body behind him sucking on his neck hard enough to leave a hickey and arms around his belly rubbing it. He turned around and met John mouth and the hungrily kissed each other while running hands all over the other’s body through their clothes. He finally broke away and panted, “Let’s take this somewhere more comfortable. Before he knew it he was being drug into his bedroom and they were kissing again.

John made a decision and initiated the contact and when Harold asked to go somewhere more comfortable he took him to the older man’s bedroom because the bed was softer and better for Harold’s body. He started to undress the older man and when he finished he stepped back to look at his lover. The older man had a large ugly patch of scar tissue that covered a big portion of his left thigh and hip. The was a long pale scar about an inch wide on the older man’s lower belly that extend up to his belly button on his right side, there were a few smaller pale scars at various spots along his left side and belly, his left arm had various scars on it as well. The older man’s belly was quite round and soft causing it to hand over his belt a bit more than you’d think when you see him in his many layers of clothes. The older man also had a thick mat of brown and silver chest hair. He gently had the older man turn around to look at the back of him. He saw the surgical scar along the older man’s spine from almost his butt all the way up to his lover’s base of his skull. Also aside from the round belly which John like he also loved Harold’s plump round ass. He turned Harold back around and met the smaller man lips with a passion kiss while he shed his own clothes. After he was naked too he gently guided his lover to the bed and after letting Harold get comfortable he gently took the older man’s glasses and put them on the nightstand. He straddled the smaller man’s legs and rubbed their erections together. He said, “Harold? If I hurt you please tell me and we’ll try a different position.”

Harold chuckled, “I’m not going to break, John. Just moving causes me pain so I’m not worried about it unless it really hurts. Just love me, John.” He got as comfortable as he could on his back and let John rut against him for a while before he panted, “Take me, John. Please?”

John asked, “Are you sure?” When he got a nod he left the room and got a tube of lubricant from his night stand drawer. He came back and gently tapped the older man’s bad hip to get him to turn over to his good side. He then got back on the bed heind the older man and started to stretch his lover while he kissed the older man’s shoulders and neck. By time he had slipped three fingers easily and hit the older man’s prostate a few times he knew Harold was ready for him. He adjusted himself so he could move well enough by bucking in and out of the older man with them both on their sides. He figured this position was the best for the first time because there wasn’t pressure on the smaller man’s bad side. He slipped in and started a slow steady rhythm and after a while Harold was bucking back as he was going forward and they were in sync until he felt the older man tighten around him, stiffen and stop breathing for a minute as his body trembled when he hit his orgasm. He bucked a couple more times and then he released inside his lover and pulled the older man to lay half on top of him. He moved the arm he was laying on out and up so he could run his hand over Harold’s spiky hair and sideburn. He wrapped his free arm gently around the older man’s belly and gently rubbed it while once in a while slipping down to graze the older man’s groin.

Harold just leaned against John until his orgasm dwindled and then he asked, “Aren’t I squishing you, John?” He felt a kiss at the back of his shoulder and he could still feel John inside of him and he really didn’t want to loose that just yet so he figured the younger man would tell him if he had to get off of him. He was starting to feel to sticky so he rolled back onto his side and whined when John slipped out of him but said, “I think we need to get cleaned up and change the bed.”

John chuckled, “All right. I’ll change the sheets and you take a shower. I’ll grab one after you.” He watched Harold limp into the bathroom and close the door. He changed the sheets and waited for the older man to come out. He watched the older man go to put on pajamas and asked, “Don’t you think we are a bit past needing to wear anything to bed, Harold?”

Harold sighed, “I guess you have a point. I just can’t help it. I still worry that you’ll wake up and see that I’m not that attractive, John.”

John sighed, “I’m not going to change my mind. I love you even with all you imperfections. That’s not going to change. I’m going to take a shower and when I come out I want to do some naked cuddling.” He went into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and came out to Harold in bed reading a book waiting for him. He took off the towel and slipped in under the covers with his lover. He felt the older man’s hand pull the covers away. He asked, “Harold?”

Harold replied, “You’ve seen me so I want to see you. I couldn’t see you before without my glasses on. Now stop squirming.” He saw the scar on the younger man’s shoulder from a bullet wound and many others but when he got to the one on the left side of John abdomen he froze. He suddenly had an image of talking to John on the phone, speeding and have to catch the man in his arms because he was bleeding horribly. Then he remembered racing through a morgue to pay a mortician who was a doctor to fix his friend. Then he remembered John being stuck in prison and then kidnapped by a psychopathic woman who decided to put a bomb vest on him and try to blow him up. He was the one who diffused the bomb his younger lover had been wearing. He did all of this out of love for the younger man beside him. He did it because if he lost John he would have been devastated and he’s rather be blown up with his love than live without him. He gasped, “Oh my God, oh my god.” He then started to sob and clutch at John’s side.

John finally managed to get the older man to look at him because he was very concerned now. He wasn’t used to his friend crying and it unnerved him. He asked, “Harold? What’s wrong?”

Harold stammered, “I almost lost you so many times. I must have blocked it out. I’m so sorry, John. So sorry.”

John sighed, “You remember?”

Harold whispered, “Yes, Mr. Reese. I do.”

John sighed, “Oh. That’s good.” He went to get out of the bed and the tug on his arm stopped him from standing. He looked back at Harold’s questioning and hurt gaze.

Harold asked, “Where are you going? Or am I not good enough now that I remember everything, Mr. Reese?”

John hung his head and whispered, “I just figured now that you remember who I was that you’d probably regret sleeping with me. I just thought it was better if I left before you asked me to leave."

Harold sighed, “Get your ass back here. It’s all ready to late for me to regret anything. I meant it when I said I was in love with you. Did you mean it?”

John’s head popped up sharply and he replied, “Of course I love you. I wouldn’t have slept with you if I didn’t. I’m not attracted to men as much as women and you are so special to me, Harold. You are the most important thing to me in the world.”

Harold pulled the younger man back into the bed and curled up on his lover’s chest and replied, “Then we will follow this path together, John. Whatever happens we will do it together. If we die tomorrow at least we’ll have been happy for a while together.”

John kissed the top of Harold’s head and whispered, “I’ll so everything I can to protect you even if it kills me. I’m so sorry you were shot, Harold.”

Harold rubbed John’s lightly haired chest and replied, “It’s not your fault, John. I shouldn’t have been there in the first place. You were right that was a careless move on my part. I just was worried about you and wanted to make sure you were all right. I’m sorry.”

John sighed, “It’s all right. Just please don’t do something like that again.”

Harold replied, “I can’t promise I won’t but I promise to try not to do it again.”

John chuckled, “You are impossible.”

Harold replied, “So are you, John, so are you.” He felt a kiss on his head and he drifted off to sleep happily wrapped in John’s arms.

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